Annual Conference 2026

Baroness Sharon Taylor of Stevenage

Baroness Taylor of Stevenage is a former politician and a life peer who has served as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government and a Baroness in Waiting since July 2024. She was a member of Stevenage Borough Council in Hertfordshire from 1997 to 2024, and served as the leader of the council from 2006 to 2022.

Cllr Iain Hamilton

Chair, National Association of Local Councils

Cllr Iain Hamilton was elected as our chair in 2026 and serves as a councillor of Halewood Town Council in Merseyside. His vision for the sector focuses on strengthening engagement with county associations, supporting parish and town councils to navigate emerging challenges, and promoting diverse representation and transparent communication. He is a strong advocate for the development of practical training and best-practice resources, alongside a forward-looking approach to ensure parish and town councils are equipped for the future. Cllr Hamilton has worked as a software developer and IT consultant in the healthcare sector, specialising in CRM and financial systems, and now designs web applications for third-sector organisations, bringing valuable digital and analytical expertise to his leadership role.

Lisa Bowman

Clerk, Exmouth Town Council

Lisa Bowman is the town clerk for Exmouth Town Council, where she supports elected members and the wider community by ensuring strong governance, effective council operations and clear, evidence‑based decision-making. Drawing on experience across a range of sectors, Lisa brings a broad skill set to her role, informing her approach to problem-solving, partnership working and place‑based leadership.

Robbie Calvert

Head of policy and public affairs, Royal Town Planning Institute

Robbie Calvert is the head of policy and public affairs at the Royal Town Planning Institute, where he leads the development of strategic policy positions, practice guidance and research to advance the planning profession and influence national and local planning policy. With a strong background in planning policy, governance and evidence‑based practice, Robbie works closely with members, government, partners and stakeholders to shape debates on planning reform, placemaking, housing delivery and sustainable development. His role encompasses leadership on policy interpretation, practice standards and engagement with the wider built and natural environment sectors to ensure planning remains effective, equitable and responsive to contemporary challenges.

Stuart Carter

Clerk, Northampton Town Council

Stuart Carter is the clerk of Northampton Town Council, the principal first‑tier local authority serving the large and historic community of Northampton, where he provides strategic leadership, governance oversight and professional support to councillors and the wider community. He has extensive experience in local government, having previously served as chief officer and clerk at Evesham Town Council and Marlow Town Council, and earlier roles including deputy town clerk and audit and risk officer, giving him a broad foundation in operational delivery, financial management, project coordination and stakeholder engagement across parish and town councils.

Annie Child

Chief executive, Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments

Annie Child is the chief executive of Smaller Authorities' Audit Appointments (SAAA), the body responsible for appointing external auditors to parish and town councils across England, a role she assumed in September 2023 after nearly 20 years' experience in local government, including five years as clerk to Salisbury City Council, one of the largest town councils in the country. In her leadership of SAAA, she focuses on improving governance and accountability for smaller authorities, working collaboratively with sector partners to strengthen audit quality, transparency and support for parish and town councils and their auditors.

James Hood

Director, Local Councils' Network

James Hood is the director of the Local Councils' Network (LCN), the collective voice for England's district and unitary councils, providing strategic policy, operational oversight and sector advocacy on issues affecting local government. He joined the LCN in September 2021 after an extensive senior career in civil service, including roles at the former Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities where he served as joint director of housing strategy and markets, director of building safety and remediation and deputy director of local authority housing, and earlier policy and strategy positions at the Ministry of Justice and HM Treasury. James also brings private‑sector experience from his early career as a strategy consultant. In his current role, he works with local authorities, national stakeholders and partners to influence policy and advance the interests of district councils at national and regional levels, drawing on his deep insight into public policy, governance and local government delivery.

Alan Mellor

Chair, Smaller Authorities Proper Practices Panel

Alan Mellor is the chair of the Smaller Authorities Proper Practices Panel (SAPPP), the sector body responsible for defining and issuing proper practices that govern the financial and governance standards for smaller authorities in England, including parish and town councils. In this role, he leads a multi‑partner panel that shapes the annual Practitioners' Guide and ensures statutory and best practice guidance is clear, effective and fit for purpose across the sector. Alan brings extensive professional expertise from his role as finance and VAT advisor, where he provides specialised financial guidance and training to clerks and council officers. His leadership in SAPPP supports strong accountability, transparency and sound financial management for smaller authorities, helping them meet their legal responsibilities and maintain high standards of governance.

Roger Mortlock

Chief executive, CPRE

Roger Mortlock joined CPRE (The Countryside Charity) as chief executive in May 2023 and is responsible for the overall running of the organisation. He joined following 10 years as chief executive of the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, and leadership roles at the Soil Association and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is passionate about a more sustainable future for rural England and CPRE’s role in finding solutions which make the best use of land and safeguard the countryside. He has held non-executive roles with the Bat Conservation Trust and the Soil Association Land Trust and is currently a trustee with the Summerfield Charitable Trust.

Cllr Brian Smedley

Leader, Bridgwater Town Council

Cllr Brian Smedley is the leader of Bridgwater Town Council and represents the Westover Ward on the council, alongside serving as the unitary councillor for the Bridgwater South division on Somerset Council. First elected in 1990, he has more than three decades of experience in local government and is a long-standing advocate for community engagement, workers' representation and civic partnership, including active involvement with UNITE the Union and the Bridgwater Trades Union Council. Alongside his political career, Cllr Smedley has a strong creative background rooted in Bridgwater's late-1970s punk scene as a songwriter with the Dangerous Brothers and later through the Sheep Worrying arts collective, where he edited an alternative magazine and wrote, directed and performed in theatre productions.

Andrew Towlerton

Planning advisor, Society of Local Council Clerks

Andrew Towlerton is a qualified planner with over 30 years’ experience across the public and private sectors, including senior leadership roles, and is widely recognised for his expertise in local government and community planning. He serves as the national planning advisor to the Society of Local Council Clerks. Andrew previously held the role of assistant director at a district council, where he managed planning, housing, consultation and community involvement services. He is also a clerk to Ecclesfield Parish Council.